Anyone tried to mount your own duck?

Shawn Hollis

Shawn Hollis

Active member
Not including the fine taxidermist that visit this site, has anyone tried this with a kit? I have a Vandykes catalog, and in the back they have a duck mounting kit for $13.99. It reads something like... "with a few household tools and this kit you can mount your own duck" I have a couple of teal I saved from a hunt this year as study birds to paint a decoy and I was thinking about giving it a go. One of those never know until you try things. Let me know what ya'll think. Shawn
 
Shawn,
good luck with it. I tried once with a big redhead. Too much fat to deal with and kept tearing the skin. While I'll admit I didn't try as long or hard as I could have, I just couldn't see the benefit of taking the time, years to get good at it to justify trying. With working, carving decoys, kids, commuting time and other parts of life that were taking my time, it just wsnt worth it.
I wish you luck with it though.
 
I got as far as skinning and trying to flesh a pintail. I'd try a pheasant first if you really want to learn how. They have almost no fat to deal with. I'm sure a duck is possible for a first timer but it's going to take some patients... I didn't have it. I think the proper tools and know how speeds it up a lot also.

Tim
 
I did...she was a nice pintail...and that was my focus..her pintail...but she got away


damn
 
Worst case you're out a few bucks and you gave it a shot. Looking at your talent for making calls, and the care you put into them, I don't reckon you'll have a problem stuffing stuff.
 
I've dabbled with taxidermy over the years. Mostly done fowl,pheasant and a few deer...waterfowl is the tuffest because of the fat. Most people can mount whatever, the real taxidermist can make it come back to life. It takes patience and a gentle touch to be good. Give it a try you may have what it takes. Good Luck.
 
I do my own taxidermy work. The most importnat thing is the fleshing part. You will need a wire wheel similar to the one on a bench grinder. I use an old band saw motor that I converted and set a wire wheel onto its main shaft. The object of this operation is to break open the fat cells that are in the skin. These are also at the under side of each feather. You only need to open them and not completely remove them. This is a kind of "by the feel" operataion. You use very light pressure alomost allowing the skin to just touch the wheel. I work from the under side of the wheel. I have seen some guys use the front. It takes a few birds to get this process down. You will tear some holes until you get the touch. After that you basically just use powdered borax to treat and preserve the skin. The rest is just patience and fussing.

McKenzie taxidermy has several good dvd's on mounting ducks. They are reasoably priced an will show you the basics needed to mount your bird.
 
Thanks Guys for the replies! I may give it a shot. Good, bad or ugly I will post a picture of the results. Shawn
 
Shawn,

Sure was glad to see the word Taxidermist in your thread!

Take care,

Ed
 
Im working on it making canada stuffers. my buddy's dad did it in the 70's for $ and has about 15 that we hunt over. he has everything still in the garage from the 70's still in his workbench area.. that never moved. we tryed a few canada's just after the season but destroyed them almost rightaway. but were not gonna give up.... especially after how good the stuffers worked. I have a bunch of regular sized blackducks, (not oversized or bigger) but regular... and they are just about the same size as a real blackduck if not a bit smaller & im gonna try wraping the blackduck skins around them to make "stuffer" floaters. ive seen some pix of them... ... apparently the guy did the same thing and used spray adhesive (sp?) to connect them to the decoy.
 
I tried a Hooded Merganser and it smelled like something you do not want to mount. Tore a few holes in it taking the fat off. Never did finish the job.
 
Start with a duck you don't want to keep. There is a learning curve. Get several under you belt the think about doing a keeper.
 
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